I watched the video review for endless ocean on IGN, and it sounded right up my ally. No enemies, no danger, no particular objectives, just underwater exploring. I bought it, and I love it so far. You know what's really odd though? You could describe it as underwater Pokemon. There aren't any fish battles, (which actually sounds pretty awesome when you say it like that) but there is the whole Pokedex thing. You dive underwater and explore, befriending different types of marine life along the way. Each type you befriend is added to an encyclopedia, and you can read more about it once it's in there. So yeah, it's a Pokedex, which fine with me. Don't you just love searching giant areas for that ONE thing you can't find? Yeah me neither, BUT STILL, it's great.
So you may be saying, "Well that sounds boring" but it's not. This game is just so beautiful to look at that you'll be drooling in awe. Though I really think this game should be played on bigger TVs.
Did I mention the music rocks?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
I GOT THE ELEBITS OST!!!!!
Well, sort of. I've been searching for the Japanese version of the ending credits song in Elebits. It simply wasn't anywhere. I found a site to download the OST, but I had to pay 10 dollars to get a 30 day account so I could download stuff. I was desperate, so I paid up.
What I got in the "OST" was ripped music from the game, and it didn't have the song I wanted. So while I DID get the whole soundtrack as opposed to the cut in half soundtrack on the actual OST, I didn't get what I really wanted. And I WILL point out that they missed a song, but I can understand how they missed it. It's not easy to get to.
So I searched all day and gave up. The next day (today) I found a forum where you can request game and anime music. I searched the request forum for ages and actually found the song I was looking for! So I downloaded it, and put all the music on discs for a two disc OST of Elebits. I made it so the first disc ends with the Japanese version of the credits, and the second disc ends with the English version of the credits. The only problem with these discs is I couldn't quite fit all the songs on them. I had to leave a few of them off.
Now let's get one thing straight. I was actually willing to buy the real OST, but I couldn't find it online anywhere. I was FORCED to download it. So for those saying "you thief!" I say screw you. I would have bought it if I could find it.
Well, I'm gonna go listen to my 2 hours and 40 minutes worth of Video Game Music!
What I got in the "OST" was ripped music from the game, and it didn't have the song I wanted. So while I DID get the whole soundtrack as opposed to the cut in half soundtrack on the actual OST, I didn't get what I really wanted. And I WILL point out that they missed a song, but I can understand how they missed it. It's not easy to get to.
So I searched all day and gave up. The next day (today) I found a forum where you can request game and anime music. I searched the request forum for ages and actually found the song I was looking for! So I downloaded it, and put all the music on discs for a two disc OST of Elebits. I made it so the first disc ends with the Japanese version of the credits, and the second disc ends with the English version of the credits. The only problem with these discs is I couldn't quite fit all the songs on them. I had to leave a few of them off.
Now let's get one thing straight. I was actually willing to buy the real OST, but I couldn't find it online anywhere. I was FORCED to download it. So for those saying "you thief!" I say screw you. I would have bought it if I could find it.
Well, I'm gonna go listen to my 2 hours and 40 minutes worth of Video Game Music!
GIVE ME GOOD INSTRUCTIONS!!!
A key part of playing a game? KNOWING HOW TO F**KING PLAY IT!!!
I HATE games that don't give adequate instructions on how to play. This mainly occurs in mini game collections. In Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck for Nintendo DS, they never gave enough instructions on how to play the stupid games. My latest encounter was with the Wii Fit boxing game. (Not Wii sports, Wii FIT) I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out how to play that stupid game. The only instructions you got were visual, so you had to piece together what to do. And how complex does in really have to be? Do you REALLY need the remote, nunchuck, AND balance board to play it? And they could have told me you hold the remote in a vertical position. Why can't they give us text? I tried looking up how to do it on a walkthrough, but it was so full of typos that I couldn't figure it out.
You should NOT have to look at a fr*ggin walkthrough to figure out the controls. That's just stupid.
I HATE games that don't give adequate instructions on how to play. This mainly occurs in mini game collections. In Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck for Nintendo DS, they never gave enough instructions on how to play the stupid games. My latest encounter was with the Wii Fit boxing game. (Not Wii sports, Wii FIT) I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out how to play that stupid game. The only instructions you got were visual, so you had to piece together what to do. And how complex does in really have to be? Do you REALLY need the remote, nunchuck, AND balance board to play it? And they could have told me you hold the remote in a vertical position. Why can't they give us text? I tried looking up how to do it on a walkthrough, but it was so full of typos that I couldn't figure it out.
You should NOT have to look at a fr*ggin walkthrough to figure out the controls. That's just stupid.
Monday, October 20, 2008
How to reduce repetitiveness in Elebits
So even though I beat the game, I can't stop talking about it. Well, I have a good reason this time. Having gotten over the joy of the fantastic ending, I look back at the main problems Elebits suffered from.
It was too repetitive, and was way too f**king long.
Plain and simple, the game was way too long, and wasn't fun to play because it was so repetitive. If you're going to have a game that's repetitive, don't make it more repetitive by making the game too long.
Okay, so they DO throw in a lot of new elements to make the game harder, but they're mainly just things you have to dodge or be careful of. You're still just going around lifting objects, dodging sh*t, and zapping Elebits. There are 25 stages and 5 boss fights if you include the second final boss, and this formula simply can't keep you entertained the whole time.
Here are some ideas they should have implemented to make the game more varied.
They needed to somehow make a stage where you don't have your capture gun. (like the stages in Mario Sunshine where you lose F.L.U.U.D) That would have really changed things up. The best idea I can think of is to have you chasing a group of speedy Elebits that are carrying your capture gun away. You have to run after them with a net, and scoop them up by making a motion with the remote. Once you nab them all, you pick up your gun, and the stage ends.
A neat boss fight I had in mind was by some sort of malfunction from the Capture Gun, you swap bodies with one of the black Elebits that attack you. Since the soul of the black Elebit is in Kai's body, it naturally wants to attack you.
The only way to stun a black Elebit in the game is to either hit it with one of those pulse bombs, or smack it with something. If you accidentally zap a black Elebit with your gun, it'll come flying at you and hurt you.
So in this boss fight, you both have maybe five health, and you have to dodge the stuff being thrown at you. (Hey, it’s a boss fight. You HAVE to dodge attacks) Your goal is to run in front of the capture gun's beam and go flying at the evil Kai. Hit it 5 times to win. THAT would have been an AWESOME boss.
Another thing they could have done to change it up a bit is to make 2D side-scrolling levels in the style of Contra. Oh sure, you’re still zapping Elebits, but it would be a different style of play. Of course you would have to have some sort of enemy to dodge, so they could have the tanks and purple Elebits shooting at you. THAT would be a cool level.
Another level they should have made was a level where there are no Elebits at all, and you simply have to use your capture gun to move things around, solve puzzles, and get to a finish line. You have this cool gun, so why not make a level all about it? It’s a missed opportunity.
Elebits really needed more variety, and these ideas would have really helped. Let’s hope the upcoming DS version will be better.
It was too repetitive, and was way too f**king long.
Plain and simple, the game was way too long, and wasn't fun to play because it was so repetitive. If you're going to have a game that's repetitive, don't make it more repetitive by making the game too long.
Okay, so they DO throw in a lot of new elements to make the game harder, but they're mainly just things you have to dodge or be careful of. You're still just going around lifting objects, dodging sh*t, and zapping Elebits. There are 25 stages and 5 boss fights if you include the second final boss, and this formula simply can't keep you entertained the whole time.
Here are some ideas they should have implemented to make the game more varied.
They needed to somehow make a stage where you don't have your capture gun. (like the stages in Mario Sunshine where you lose F.L.U.U.D) That would have really changed things up. The best idea I can think of is to have you chasing a group of speedy Elebits that are carrying your capture gun away. You have to run after them with a net, and scoop them up by making a motion with the remote. Once you nab them all, you pick up your gun, and the stage ends.
A neat boss fight I had in mind was by some sort of malfunction from the Capture Gun, you swap bodies with one of the black Elebits that attack you. Since the soul of the black Elebit is in Kai's body, it naturally wants to attack you.
The only way to stun a black Elebit in the game is to either hit it with one of those pulse bombs, or smack it with something. If you accidentally zap a black Elebit with your gun, it'll come flying at you and hurt you.
So in this boss fight, you both have maybe five health, and you have to dodge the stuff being thrown at you. (Hey, it’s a boss fight. You HAVE to dodge attacks) Your goal is to run in front of the capture gun's beam and go flying at the evil Kai. Hit it 5 times to win. THAT would have been an AWESOME boss.
Another thing they could have done to change it up a bit is to make 2D side-scrolling levels in the style of Contra. Oh sure, you’re still zapping Elebits, but it would be a different style of play. Of course you would have to have some sort of enemy to dodge, so they could have the tanks and purple Elebits shooting at you. THAT would be a cool level.
Another level they should have made was a level where there are no Elebits at all, and you simply have to use your capture gun to move things around, solve puzzles, and get to a finish line. You have this cool gun, so why not make a level all about it? It’s a missed opportunity.
Elebits really needed more variety, and these ideas would have really helped. Let’s hope the upcoming DS version will be better.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Cracked DS hinge
Well, I finally had a Nintendo DS hinge crack. It's been a few years since the DS came out, so I figure it lasted a good long time before it cracked. I'm now wondering if I should buy a new DS Lite, or wait for the DSi to come out. I'm thinking I'll probably buy a new DS Lite when I can. I really thought I wouldn't have any big purchases this month, but I guess I was wrong. Things happen. At least Nintendo DS systems are easy to find now.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Top 5 licensed video games
Whenever a popular movie or T.V series comes out, you can be sure there will be a crummy video game version. It's no secret that licensed games are lousy, but there ARE good ones. I take you through my Top 5 Licensed Video Games.
#5: Toy Story (SNES)
This is a great platformer with a wide variety of levels. It's a really complex game for a movie based game, and is too hard for its target audience.However us older fans of Toy Story don't mind that. Even still, Roller Bob's level is still going to kick your @ss.
#4: Mickey Mania (SNES)
Mickey Mania takes you through various Mickey Mouse cartoons from his very first cartoon, Steamboat Willie, to the popular Lonesome Ghosts, to Mickey and the Beanstalk. Again, it's way too hard for its target audience, but for those old enough to be able to beat it, you'll love this game all around. You also have to love at the end of the credits how it says, "If you liked this game, buy it twice!"
Now that's classy.
#3: Looney Tunes (Game Boy)
Simply titled "Looney Tunes", this is an awesome platformer revolving around various Looney Tunes characters. It's hard, but super fun. If you come across the Game Boy Colour version, don't get that one. It has extra features that make it a worse game.
#2: Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers (NES)
This is another awesome platformer based on the hit Rescue Rangers t.v series. What's great about this game is you can play two players simultaneously, which is something you don't get in a lot of NES games. This game also features an awesome soundtrack, and just really cool levels and bosses. A great game that NES fans need to play.
#1: Duck Tales (NES)
When you think of good license based video games, you simply can't beat Duck Tales for the NES. Widely considered one of the greatest NES titles, and it doesn't feature any popular video game franchise characters. One of the most famous parts of this game is the music that plays in the Moon level. This is considered one of the most classic NES themes by many fans, and often hits the top ten lists of best 8bit music.
Not only does it feature great music, it is overall a super fun game to play. Great level designs, awesome bosses, and smooth controls. Nothing beats Duck Tales on NES when it comes to license based games.
#5: Toy Story (SNES)
This is a great platformer with a wide variety of levels. It's a really complex game for a movie based game, and is too hard for its target audience.However us older fans of Toy Story don't mind that. Even still, Roller Bob's level is still going to kick your @ss.
#4: Mickey Mania (SNES)
Mickey Mania takes you through various Mickey Mouse cartoons from his very first cartoon, Steamboat Willie, to the popular Lonesome Ghosts, to Mickey and the Beanstalk. Again, it's way too hard for its target audience, but for those old enough to be able to beat it, you'll love this game all around. You also have to love at the end of the credits how it says, "If you liked this game, buy it twice!"
Now that's classy.
#3: Looney Tunes (Game Boy)
Simply titled "Looney Tunes", this is an awesome platformer revolving around various Looney Tunes characters. It's hard, but super fun. If you come across the Game Boy Colour version, don't get that one. It has extra features that make it a worse game.
#2: Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers (NES)
This is another awesome platformer based on the hit Rescue Rangers t.v series. What's great about this game is you can play two players simultaneously, which is something you don't get in a lot of NES games. This game also features an awesome soundtrack, and just really cool levels and bosses. A great game that NES fans need to play.
#1: Duck Tales (NES)
When you think of good license based video games, you simply can't beat Duck Tales for the NES. Widely considered one of the greatest NES titles, and it doesn't feature any popular video game franchise characters. One of the most famous parts of this game is the music that plays in the Moon level. This is considered one of the most classic NES themes by many fans, and often hits the top ten lists of best 8bit music.
Not only does it feature great music, it is overall a super fun game to play. Great level designs, awesome bosses, and smooth controls. Nothing beats Duck Tales on NES when it comes to license based games.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wii Fit get!
So about 5 minutes after I beat Elebits, my copy of Wii Fit arrived in the mail. (Yeah, I bought it overpriced on ebay.) I haven't gotten to do any exercises yet, due to my crummy T.V set up and my brother who hates game noise, (I can't wear the headphones without bending down. My T.V is in an awkward place) but I played some of the balance board mini-games. It didn't take very long for me to figure out I could cheat by using my hands. I got 297 points in the soccerball game, and over 120 points in the marble madness type game.
Actually, I got the idea from an episode of "Angry Video Game Nerd" in which he was playing that track and field game for the NES, and he just got down on his knees and whacked the power pad with his hands.
I'll have to wait until I have the house to myself before I really try any exercises since the T.V in the living room is more suited for playing the Wii. (My room is tiny) I only set my in game goal for losing one pound within two weeks. I mean, I don't know how much I'm going for. The BMI had me dead center of the "Normal" section. I'm in perfect shape weight wise. In reality, I have no need for Wii Fit. But in the world of posture, I could use a lot of work.
Now that I have a blog, I'm gonna be posting a whole lot of pointless stuff. More so than I ever did on deviantart.
Actually, I got the idea from an episode of "Angry Video Game Nerd" in which he was playing that track and field game for the NES, and he just got down on his knees and whacked the power pad with his hands.
I'll have to wait until I have the house to myself before I really try any exercises since the T.V in the living room is more suited for playing the Wii. (My room is tiny) I only set my in game goal for losing one pound within two weeks. I mean, I don't know how much I'm going for. The BMI had me dead center of the "Normal" section. I'm in perfect shape weight wise. In reality, I have no need for Wii Fit. But in the world of posture, I could use a lot of work.
Now that I have a blog, I'm gonna be posting a whole lot of pointless stuff. More so than I ever did on deviantart.
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